Seattle : Washington

What it's Like to Retire in Seattle

Choosing Seattle, Washington as your retirement community has many advantages. You get a walkable downtown with great public transportation. Many apartments and homes overlook harbors, lakes, parks, and mountains. Great boating, skiing, hiking are all at your doorstep, as are many cultural programs. Opportunities of every description for paid work or volunteering are all around you.

Seattle (population 537,000) draws in retirees who are looking for a bustling and diverse community. As a magnet for young people (average age here is 36) it has a youthful flair that helps keep people young. The presence of the University of Washington, one of the country's leading organizations, makes Seattle a college town. Originally a pioneer outpost, the Yukon Gold Rush transformed Seattle into a major city. It is the commercial hub of the Pacific Northwest. Washington State retirement guide. Here are our reviews of Bellingham and Walla Walla

Where to Retire in Seattle and Home Prices

There are many neighborhoods in the city for retirees - old and new, stand alone houses or apartments. If you are thinking of moving to Seattle you would probably want to visit or rent here first to get a feel for the many different neighborhoods. In the suburbs there are many developments to choose from. There are active adult communities to choose from (see link at top right). According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median selling price paid in the first quarter of 2016 was $383,100, in the Seattle/Tacoma metro. However, Zillow.com reported the Seattle price to be very different at $543,045 in mid-2016.

What is special about Seattle

• A major city that remains manageable • Great parks and views of harbors, lakes and mountains • Downtown shopping • Charming Neighborhoods • Seattle Public Library is perhaps the best public library in the country • Space Needle • Pioneer Square • Experience Music Project • Fishermen’s Terminal • 3 Professional sports teams • No income tax

What is not special about Seattle

Have to be ready for an urban environment; It is expensive; Summers are a lot nicer than winters here

Who will like retirement in Seattle

Active adults 55+ will like living here because it is one of the world's great cities in a beautiful natural setting; There is a strong economic base with ample opportunities for work and volunteer; It is a great place for both culture and outdoor activity.

Local economy is driven by

Big business, Tourism, Services. The Emerald City has a large tax base with large employers such as Boeing and Microsoft in the area.

Climate and Physical Environment

Seattle is located in northwestern Washington on Puget Sound. From here you can get to the Olympic Peninsula, the San Juan Islands and British Columbia by boat or car. Winters tend to be wet and dark, and summers are beautiful with long, long days.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Seattle has a cultural scene that befits one of the world's great cities. The Seattle Symphony is in the Benaroya Hall. Leading cultural institutions include the Seattle Opera, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Experience Music Project. There are 13 professional theater companies and scores of amateur productions. There is an annual Film Festival along with the International Children's Theater Festival. The University of Washington also has a major cultural impact on the region. The Seattle Public Library is outstanding and a popular tourist attraction.

Crime

The crime rate is well above average in Seattle.

Medical facilities

There is an array of major hospitals, including the University of Washington's Teaching Hospital.

Transportation

Seattle-Tacoma Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country. Amtrak has a major station here. The trolleys and buses of Metro Transit provide excellent public transportation around town. The state ferry system has an extensive network.

Valuable Links

What people are saying about Seattle

Retirement Community

Nice post! A lot of good information about what the beautiful city of Seattle and surrounding areas has to offer. I have been researching the retirement community in Seattle for a couple of months now as I have my retired father who wants to possibly relocate here but he is older and might need some assistance. Because of this, I have been looking into retirement homes and found a couple of good ones. My favorite one so far has been Bayview Retirement Community. I will post their website below but they seem to have what my father and I have been searching for. Do you know any other good ones or have any input for me? Thanks again! :)

Posted by SuesClues on September 28, 2012

I moved from Idaho to a [url=http://www.topretirements.com/reviews/Washington/Seattle/Bayview%20Retirement%20Community.html]retirement community[/url] in Seattle to be closer to my son and grandchildren. I love it here. I'm glad I decided to make the move.

Login Here

Please note that all contributions to Topretirements may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then don't submit it here. By submitting content and/or photographs here you agree to give Topretirements.com the rights to use them in any manner without cost or attribution.You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Project:Copyrights for details). DO NOT SUBMIT COPYRIGHTED WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION!